MONROVIA — Sam Worlobah, accused of posing as a doctor and performing a fatal surgery, pleaded not guilty to murder during his first appearance at Criminal Court B before Judge Wesseh A. Wesseh.
The plea came after prosecutors read his indictment, prompting state lawyers to begin presenting witnesses. Worlobah, represented by public defenders, requested a jury trial. He was indicted by a Montserrado County grand jury during the February 2025 term for the crime of murder.
Prosecution's First Witness: Medical Council Chief
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The prosecution's first witness, Dr. Augustus Quiah, registrar general of the Liberia Medical and Dental Council, testified that Worlobah was not a licensed physician or surgeon but only an operating room technician authorized to assist doctors.
Quiah explained that Worlobah violated Section 61.16, subchapter C(1), which prohibits practicing beyond the scope of one's license, and said the Justice Ministry was asked to prosecute under Section 61.19 -- unauthorized medical practice, classified as a criminal offense.
"Consistent with medical practice, a surgeon is licensed by the Liberia Medical and Dental Council to perform surgical procedures, which is in line with World Health Organization and international practices," Quiah told the court.
He testified that an investigation revealed Worlobah performed surgery on the deceased patient despite lacking proper credentials, and that the procedure was conducted "in a substandard way."
Under cross-examination, defense lawyers pressed Quiah on whether he or his team saw the victim's body. He admitted they did not, but said investigators obtained the patient's chart, medical records, and death certificate, which listed heart failure as the cause of death -- even though the patient was operated on for appendicitis. He added the certificate was signed with the title "Dr. Sam Worlobah," though Worlobah was not a licensed doctor.
Family Testimony
The prosecution's second witness, Mary Kollie, sister of the deceased Samuel Kollie, said she brought her brother to Lofa Medical Services Clinic based on a friend's recommendation. She testified that Worlobah charged the family $275 for the surgery, later reduced to $225, of which they paid 36,000 Liberian dollars upfront.
Mary said Worlobah performed the surgery himself, removing an object from her brother's side, and afterward asked for a photo of it. She told the court that an hour after surgery, her brother complained of hunger and weakness. Worlobah advised the family to give him only water and later prepare cream of wheat.
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On March 18, 2025, she said, another brother called to inform her that Samuel had died. Her testimony is scheduled to continue on Aug. 21.
